24 Years Later: Remembering Broome County Deputy Kevin Tarsia

For the Broome County community, the month of July carries a quiet weight, marking 24 years since Deputy Kevin Tarsia was killed while on patrol in Kirkwood

Who Was Deputy Kevin Tarsia? Remembered by Family and Friends

Kevin's late mother, Martha Tarsia, often recalled that grass never grew under her son's feet. Kevin had a genuine knack for making things run and stretched a deputy sheriff's salary further than most thought possible by doing the heavy lifting himself. Whether it was restoring motorcycles, working on classic cars, or maintaining snowmobiles, he took pride in doing the work himself.

Despite the modest pay that came with wearing a badge, Kevin managed to buy a home and a farm, even building the property's barn himself. He kept two horses and spent much of his off-duty time working the land. When he finally did take a break on Sundays, he could usually be found in front of the television, fiercely cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Kevin loved motorcycling and snowmobiling, and he took particular pride in a classic Camaro he and his brothers restored together. He was an avid hunter, camper, and water skier, and he loved music. When time and money allowed, he traveled the country, always looking to make the most of every day.

Thirteen Years Serving the Broome County Sheriff's Office

Above everything else, Kevin Tarsia was a police officer. He got his start with the Town of Greene Police Department before moving on to the job he was truly proud of, becoming a Broome County Deputy Sheriff. He was known as a hard-working deputy with an impressive arrest record, and he spent thirteen years serving the people of Broome County before his life was cut short.

The July 4, 2002, Shooting in Kirkwood, NY

In the early hours of July 4, 2002, Deputy Tarsia was on routine patrol in the Town of Kirkwood when he noticed suspicious activity in Grange Hall Park, located less than half a mile from his home and just above the New York-Pennsylvania border. What he didn't know was that three men had just burglarized a firearms store across the state line in Great Bend, Pennsylvania, and were in the middle of moving the stolen weapons from one vehicle to another.

As Deputy Tarsia stepped out of his patrol car, two of the suspects opened fire, firing roughly fifteen rounds and killing him before he had any real chance to respond. The men then stole his service weapon and other items from his patrol car before fleeing the scene.

The Conviction of David Sweat and Jeffrey Nabinger Jr.

All three suspects were captured three days later following a manhunt. Two of the men, later identified in news coverage as David Sweat and Jeffrey Nabinger Jr., were charged in New York with first-degree murder, while the third man, Shawn Duvaul, faced a charge of third-degree criminal possession of a weapon. All three also faced burglary charges in Pennsylvania in connection with the stolen guns. Sweat and Nabinger were each sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

2015 Clinton Correctional Facility Prison Escape Reopens Old Wounds

On June 6, 2015, Sweat escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora along with fellow convicted killer Richard Matt. The escape triggered a massive, weeks-long manhunt near the Canadian border. Matt was shot and killed by law enforcement several days before Sweat was found. Sweat remained on the run for about three weeks until he was shot and taken back into custody on June 28, 2015, bringing renewed attention to the case for the Broome County Sheriff's Office and the Tarsia family.

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Honoring Broome County's First Line-of-Duty Death

Kevin Tarsia was the first member of the Broome County Sheriff's Office to die in the line of duty. He was survived by his parents, three brothers, two sisters, and a number of nieces and nephews. This July marks 24 years since Deputy Tarsia was killed serving the people of Broome County.